Aiden Linder

Writers have a tendency to isolate themselves; Hugo House brings them together.

Attending a Scribes summer writing camp last summer was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I had been writing for years, but very rarely showed my work to anyone else. I was and remain a private person, especially about my writing. So just applying to Scribes was a big step for me. But after my first day with Hugo House, they had won me over completely.

I felt immediately welcome and I think the instructors were a big part of that. They weren’t just instructors; they were participants as well. Their approach was to teach from the inside out, leading by example and never relying on artificial authority. They weren’t above us; they were right there with us, always engaged. The environment Hugo House created at Scribes fostered learning effortlessly.

I’d never met like-minded people my age before, people who enjoyed building and deconstructing stories as much as I did. Never before had I felt so energized. Ideas were free flowing and even idle chatter felt productive. It was intoxicating.

After those two weeks, I was hooked. I had no choice but to join the Young Writers Cohort, and now our meetings and Stage Fright open mics have been the highlight of my week for almost a year. I’m proud of the skills I’ve learned from workshop after workshop, but to me, the most valuable thing Hugo House gave me is a sense of belonging, of community. Writers have a tendency to isolate themselves; Hugo House brings them together.